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  1. shivaree love

Definitions

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

  1. n. Midwestern & Western U.S. A noisy mock serenade for newlyweds. Also called regionally charivari, belling, horning, serenade.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

  1. n. A corruption of charivari.
  2. To salute with a mock serenade.

Wiktionary

  1. n. The noisy banging of pots and pans as a mock serenade to a newly married couple, or similar occasion.
  2. n. Any loud cacophonous noise or hubbub.

WordNet 3.0

  1. n. a noisy mock serenade (made by banging pans and kettles) to a newly married couple

Etymologies

  1. French charivari (Wiktionary)
  2. Alteration of charivari. (American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition)

Examples

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hypernyms (1)

Words that are more generic or abstract

  1. serenade

reverse dictionary (4)

Words that contain this word in their definition

  1. horning
  1. belling
  1. charivari
  1. serenade

tags (1)

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  1. ccvcvcvv

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  • chained_bear "Another time, he might have been interested to see a shivaree, and trace all the roots of it from French and Highland customs—but not bloody now."
    —Diana Gabaldon, The Fiery Cross (NY: Bantam Dell, 2001), 701 Jan 25, 2010

  • avivamagnolia A "noisy mock serenade for newlyweds," probably deriving in turn from a Late Latin word meaning "headache."

    Also called regionally charivari, belling, horning, serenade.


    From the French "charivari," most likely borrowed from French traders and settlers along the Mississippi River

    An 1805 account describes a shivaree in New Orleans:

    "The house is mobbed by thousands of the people of the town, vociferating and shouting with loud acclaim.... Many are in disguises and masks; and all have some kind of discordant and noisy music, such as old kettles, and shovels, and tongs.... All civil authority and rule seems laid aside" (John F. Watson).

    The word shivaree is especially common along and west of the Mississippi River.

    Regional equivalents:

    ~belling: Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan

    ~horning: upstate New York, northern Pennsylvania, western New England Jan 17, 2009

  • mollusque Do shivarees give you the goosebumps? Sep 23, 2008

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‘shivaree’ has been looked up 2468 times, loved by 5 people, added to 28 lists, commented on 3 times, and has a Scrabble score of 14.